Embark on a Journey’ with CCSO

Stories come to life in many different ways, in books, movies and music. On April 10 and 11, the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra will join forces with Native American flute player Joseph FireCrow to bring to life The Gift of the Elk, the Native American legend about the connections between dreams and reality.

EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY – Native American flute player Joseph FireCrow will combine forces with Jung Ho Pak and the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra for the world premiere of James Cockey’s The Gift of the Elk, part of the CCSOs Journey to the New World concert April 10-11.

Native American flute soloist highlight of April concert

Stories come to life in many different ways, in books, movies and music. On April 10 and 11, the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra will join forces with Native American flute player Joseph FireCrow to bring to life The Gift of the Elk, the Native American legend about the connections between dreams and reality.

The performance marks the world premiere of the music, composed especially for the concert by James Cockey. It is part of the CCSO’s Journey to the New World concert, featuring Native American, African American and Old World music in celebration of the diversity of the world in which we live.

While the orchestra will perform From the Black Belt by William Grant Still, and Symphony No. 9 From the New World by Atonin Dvořák, the highlight of the show is expected to be FireCrow’s performance of flute and storytelling.

“The symphony itself is based on the Northern Cheyenne Tribal legend of the flute,” FireCrow explained in a recent interview. “The Gift of the Elk is based on the legend of how the flute was given to the people. The whole symphony is based on it, which is really awesome.”

According to CCSO conductor Jung Ho Pak, Cockey’s The Gift of the Elk was the result of a powerful spiritual journey.

“Jim went on a spiritual journey and came out of that journey much more enlightened,” Pak said. “He spoke to Joseph’s mother who told him stories that could be related to this piece.”

The stories included the Native American legend of the flute, which tells the tale of how a young hunter, led into the woods by an Elk, comes to create the first flute, with guidance in dreams from a woodpecker.

“A lot of really hard work went into the research,” he said. “A bridge had to be crossed between my Elders and my people back home in Montana and Jung Ho and the symphony. There was a lot of information passed back and forth.”

FireCrow took his role in bringing the legend to the symphony seriously.

“I am a flute man. I do make my own flutes. I’m recognized by my Elders as such,” he said. “With this responsibility comes stories, such as the legend.”

FireCrow began playing Native flute in 1977, learning to make his own from John Rainier, Jr. of Taos, NM.

“I played them for probably a few years until I was 20 or 21,” he said. “As in all things, music is a discipline. I got lazy in my early 20s and walked away from music completely. The flutes returned back to my life in my mid-30s and I began to make flutes again. It is a living tradition. With this wonderful responsibility I am literally living centuries old tradition and living in the modern world, which is really awesome, especially from a musical standpoint.”

FireCrow also began to play again, becoming a renowned musician and recording artist. Pak credits the Internet for helping to find FireCrow.

“The Internet is an amazing thing. You can find anything these days,” he said. “That’s how I found Joseph.”

Pak wanted to work with FireCrow, as well as Cockey, in creating a collaborative piece that represented Native people in a respectful way while appealing to a diverse audience.

“Whenever I get a chance to discover and help create a connection for people to classical music in a way that’s unexpected and truthful and illuminating,” Pak said. “That really gives me satisfaction.”

FireCrow said the creation process of the symphonic piece was lengthy, but for good reason.

“When everybody was onboard, then we had to come up with the story,” he said. “What could Jim Cockey tell us about with his beautiful songwriting, his beautiful compositions? It took a long process, literally months of phone calls, and the approval, acceptance, and the blessing of the Elders, which came last year.”

That the Elders approved of the piece was critical.

“They like to see what’s coming as things develop,” FireCrow said. “We, the younger generation, have a tendency to change things and they want to be sure it’s kept as intact as it can be.”

What FireCrow appreciates about the piece is its combination of elements that bring the story to life.

“It is a very powerful and beautiful piece. I will be singing and using a hand drum, a rattle, and there is the spoken word piece, the telling of the legend itself,” he said. “Integrity is every important. It lends to the pure authentic fabric of the traditional style. You can’t teach this over the Internet or over other media. You have to have that face-to-face happening. Facial expressions and posture as the voice fills the room. There’s this energy that is passing between people.”

Both FireCrow and Pak acknowledged a bit of nervousness regarding the collaboration.

“I’ve been a part of symphonies before but only in highlighted areas,” FireCrow said. “This time I’ll be in every scene or movement.”

Pak said that working with FireCrow has been a joy.

“I was not sure what to expect. Since he had not played with an orchestra I didn’t know if he’d know how to follow a conductor,” he said. “We had a rehearsal last month. He impressed me with his ability not only to follow conductor’s gestures, but also with his preparation.”

The fact that there is a Native American Tribe on Cape Cod was also a motivator for Pak and FireCrow in preparing for the performance.

“That’s something that I’m absolutely thrilled about. We really want to draw people into the entire experience,” Pak said. “In many ways, that was part of the inspiration. I always want a program that has relevance to the community I’m serving. If we were close to the border, I would be performing pieces that were inspired by Mexico. If we were very far north, I might have a piece with a Canadian involved. We’re trying to reach out to all constituents of the Cape. We want everyone to feel that this orchestra is theirs.”

FireCrow hopes that people from the Mashpee Wampanoag will attend the concert.

“I’m hoping that they will show up and enjoy this beautiful symphony,” said FireCrow. “We would like them to feel at home.”

Both are simply looking forward to sharing The Gift of the Elk with their audience.

“It gives me a sense of relevance as a conductor,” Pak said. “I feel like I’m in touch with the world around me rather than in an ivory tower. That’s why I get up in the morning. That’s what drives me. I want to change the world and bring it beauty.”

“When the written tradition and oral tradition collide in a good way, things happen wonderfully,” he said. “I believe we’ve done that with The Gift of the Elk.”

The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra will present Journey to the New World featuring Joseph FireCrow and the world premiere of James Cockney’s The Gift of the Elk at 8 p.m. April 10 and 3 p.m. April 11 at the Performing Arts Center at Barnstable High School. For more information call 508-362-1111.